Panda Lilies and Fruit Pies
by Omoni
Summary: A second collection of sappy drabbles and romantic ficlets.
1. Pinch Pinch Pinch

_Writer's Note: Welcome to the second sappy collection of romance within ATLA! Be warned that I do tend to favour the canon couples, although you may see a few random pairings here and there. I never thought I would start another collection, but here it is! Enjoy!_

**Warning: Occurs post-series and contains mild spoilers.**

Mai was bored. So was Zuko.

The problem was, they really both should not have had this problem. The entire reception hall was full of people from all three of the nations (four, if you included Aang), and the air was full of the angry buzzing of politicians and nobles alike. None of them could agree on a single thing, and it was getting very old very fast.

Despite the fact that Zuko didn't follow his predecessors' examples and keep the flames of his throne high, he was still being ignored. After his latest attempt to silence the room, he sighed, leaned back, and shut his eyes, his fingers going to the bridge of his nose. He wondered bitterly if he would eventually have a callous there from the many times he did this.

Quite suddenly, something sharp bit into his side. He jumped, swallowing a surprised yelp, his eyes snapping open. A small little sting of pain followed, but he could tell that it wasn't anything like a knife or a needle. When he looked to the side where he felt it, his eyes fell on Mai's, and her face was facing forward, looking perfectly innocent, her hands folded in her lap. Blinking in bemusement, he scratched at his head and turned back, trying to form a better way to say, 'Please shut up now,' to the people in front of him.

He took in a breath once he decided to send all protocol to the wind, when he felt that sharp biting in his side again, a little higher than before. He jerked away and turned to look again, only seeing Mai at his side, her posture perfect and precise. With narrowed eyes, he examined her closely, and it was then that he finally saw it: a slight twitch in her lips.

He leaned in close to her again, a small smile forming. When he had relaxed, he sensed, rather than felt, her move again, and this time he beat her to it - his fingers danced to her thigh and pinched lightly. Mai's eyes flared, their colour sparking with a curious mix of amusement and annoyance, and she narrowed them and met his gaze, her look a clear threat. He merely grinned.

The buzz slowly faded into the background. Now all that mattered was the little competition set between the two of them. It kept them both sane.


	2. The Last to Know

**Warning: Occurs post-series and contains mild spoilers.**

"Congratulations, Firelord!"

The voice was from Physician Datsu, the royal doctor in charge of all and any health occurrences within the Palace walls. He had been in that post since Zuko was tiny, and Zuko suspected it would be where he would remain until he died. He usually welcomed the physician's cheerful greeting, but this one was ... odd.

He stopped in mid-stride, causing Dastu to do the same. The two men met in the middle of the hallway a foot apart. Even more bemusing was the glowing pride upon the older man's face. Zuko stared at him. "Isn't it a little late to be congratulating me?" Zuko wondered. "I mean, I've been Firelord for two years, now."

Datsu's smile twitched, just a little bit - a gesture of confusion that Zuko knew all too well. "Well, you know..." he answered a trace awkwardly. Then he brightened. "In any case, we both have errands." he sketched a bow and went on his way, with Zuko staring after him no less confused than before. With a scratch to his head, he went in the opposite direction.

The confusion didn't end there, despite the fact that Zuko tried to put it from his mind. When he reached his office, his archivist (a necessary evil for the amount of paperwork he had; besides, despite being around when both Azulon and Ozai were on the throne, this archivist was surprisingly trustworthy) handed him the usual pile of scrolls and letters with a very uncharacteristic smile on his face. "Good day, Firelord," he said, his voice still the same calm tone he used daily. "I have heard the news. Congratulations!"

Zuko took the pile, making a face as he did so. "Did I get thrown back in time or something?" he wondered, not really expecting an answer. "I haven't done anything recently that warrants so many festive greetings, you know."

Quoro merely smiled mysteriously, as if he knew something very personal but was far too polite to discuss it further. For the first time, Zuko wanted to smack him. "Are you hiding something?" he demanded.

"No, of course not, Firelord," was the reply. After that was said, he went on listing the summarised contents of each scroll with his own personal - and yet objectively so - additional comments. Zuko was instantly distracted, and once more allowed himself to forget the morning's oddness.

That was, until he opened Sokka's letter.

_Zuko, buddy, my man, let me start by saying that you are _awesome!_ I never would have guessed you would beat me to it. Now, about those numbers you needed..._

Blinking, Zuko read the two sentences over and over again, trying to make sense of them. _What did I do?_he wondered idly, fighting the urge to scratch his head (Mai always teased him about bald-spots).

The letter from Katara was just as perplexing:

_Zuko, I'm so happy for you! You sort of rushed, don't you think? Aren't you, what? Still only 19? Well, okay, Mai's 20, but still..._

What did Mai have to do with any of this? Zuko stared at the characters before him, knowing what they said but not knowing what they meant. He felt a small flutter of panic: _Did I miss something important? Did I do something and completely missed it like an idiot? Would Mai know?_

However, it was Toph's letter that brought everything home to him, and made him blush fiercely and then drop it in favour of running to find Mai, a stupid grin on his face:

_AW YEAH, ZUKO, WAY TO KNOCK MAI UP WITH A POINTY BENDER. I CALL DIBS ON THE NAMING. (Dictated to the Duke and written by the same hand.)_


	3. Catch As Catch Can

_Writer's Note: Written for the LJ Community Avatar_500, for the prompt "Trust". It won second place.  
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**Warning: Contains spoilers for Zuko Alone.  
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**Catch As Catch Can**

"Come on, Zuzu – just close your eyes and fall!"

Zuko shifted from foot to foot, his face burning. He was glad that his back was to the three girls who were – apparently – bent and determined on making his life miserable. Azula and Ty Lee stood close together, Azula trying to smother her sniggers and Ty Lee not even bothering to pretend to do the same.

A few feet behind him, he knew, stood Mai, probably looking bored or frustrated but hopefully still co-operative.

Or maybe she wasn't? Maybe she was just laughing, too, and actually was nowhere at all behind him like he thought. He _assumed_ that she was behind him with her arms held out, her body poised to catch his weight the moment he fell backwards. He _assumed_ that she would catch him without so much as a blink or a stagger. But he had no way to prove this! Even though she had started hanging around he and Azula more often ever since ... he swallowed hard and steered his thoughts away from his mother. The _point_ was that Mai was a girl _second_ when it came to being friends with _Azula_.

There was no way she would catch him at all. It was just a horrible rotten joke set up by Azula to again make him look stupid, easier now that ... that they spent more time alone in the gardens. Everyone knew that Mai and Azula were tight, and that Mai only hung around _him_ because Azula _made her..._

"Come on, Zuko," Mai's voice suddenly called from behind him, bringing another flurry of giggles from Azula and Ty Lee. Her voice, however, was oddly warm. "Just pretend I'm the only one here, okay? I know how hard that is, but just ignore anything _shrill_."

_That_ shut them up. Azula scoffed, but Zuko was smiling, his eyes already closed and his hands out at his sides. Ty Lee was saying something, almost sounding sugary and teasing, but all he could hear was the breeze gently drifting through the garden, rustling Mai's robes.

And then he fell.

And both Azula and Ty Lee gasped, though later Azula would deny it.

And then Mai's arms encircled around his waist and tugged him close, holding him up while staggering backward just a little bit.

He opened his eyes, feeling warm all over, feeling his face crack into a dopey grin. Mai was looking at him, and the best thing happened, then: she giggled.

A giggle like warm winds, like tickling gusts. Comforting and cooling all at once.

And even though later she jerked away once Azula started to tease her, she didn't do it until she was sure he could stand on his own. And even when she walked away, her eyes were on his, her cheeks pink … and a small curve of a smile still upon those lips.

It was at that moment that Zuko decided to trust in Mai for the rest of his life – no matter what.


	4. Forget and Forgive

_Writer's Note: Written for Cypsiman2 on LJ, with the prompt "Anniversary". It occurs post-series and contains spoilers!_

**Forget and Forgive**

She tried to be understanding. Really, she did. After all, Aang had a lot on his plate recently, especially with him and Zuko going over the plans for a new kind of city. It took up a lot of his time, and as the Avatar it was to be expected that he would always be busy.

But there were some things that should never be forgotten. And for Katara, an anniversary was definitely one of them.

It had been five years to the day that they had had their first real kiss in the new peacetime, one without confusion and dread and fear. For Katara, it was the first moment that they had finally gotten together, as a couple.

So why was she all alone in Iroh's tea shop, sipping the house blend moodily? Because Aang was in the Fire Nation, _as usual_, with Zuko, once again going over more plans for their _stupid_city, instead of with her, talking with her, laughing with her, being with her.

Iroh had, for the most part, left her alone, except to come by and fill her teacup or give her complimentary dough fritters. He occasionally gave her sympathetic glances and once offered a kind ear, but she was too angry and hurt to accept it. She just sat and brooded, hating Aang and Zuko and their stupid city and then not really hating anything all at once.

When it was close to closing, Iroh came by and said, very gently, "Would you like anything to go?"

Katara looked up at him, her eyes dark. "No, I'm okay. I guess ... I guess I just sort of hoped that Aang would surprise me, would just show up and surprise me with something and then everything would be perfect. But he's not here. And it isn't."

Iroh place a soft hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry," he offered, and she sighed, deeply and painfully and said, "It's not quite okay yet. I just hope it will be."

Katara finished off her tea and got up to leave, realising with a start that it was already nighttime. She trudged slowly towards the door, not quite sure where she was going after this, just that she wasn't going to go home.

The moment she walked out of the door, she stopped. Her eyes flicked around her quickly, a wave of surprise spreading through her like a warm balm. Without her control, her face broke into a smile and her eyes stung with tears.

There, right on the wooden deck where they had kissed, was Aang, standing amidst a sea of candles with a small smile. Behind him was a small tea table, laden with delicious vegetarian foods that smelled heavenly. Aang grinned wider when he saw her.

"_Finally_," he said, a laugh in his voice. "I've been waiting here for _hours_!"

She threw herself at him and attacked him with kisses and half-hearted punches. "You made me think you forgot!"

Aang took both onslaughts with sparkling eyes. "Never," was all he said. It was all he needed to say.


	5. Inappropriate

_Writer's note: Another request, this time for Uponadecember, who requested Zuko/Suki, with the prompt "tease". I do love my crack pairings! This occurs post-series and contains spoilers!_

**Inappropriate**

He wasn't crazy - she _was _doing it on purpose.

They were supposed to be paying attention. After all, it wasn't every day that the Firelord visited Kyoshi Island in order to hear the complaints of the people, in order to see what he could make right. It was supposed to be very serious and very sombre and _not _what Suki was making it into - there, she did it again! Right when he met her gaze! The tip of her tongue slipped out and slowly licked her lips, her eyebrows raised and her eyes half-closed, her hands on her knees tightening just a little.

Zuko glared at her, and something in her eyes sparked, now that she knew she had him. He shifted uncomfortably, knowing very well that he really was caught by her, and he also knew that he wouldn't be able to pay attention, no matter how hard he tried.

Suki was in full Kyoshi uniform today. That wasn't a surprise, especially since he was in full Firelord robes from head to foot. Why was it that whenever she decided she wanted him, they were always covered in layers of clothing? Was it some sort of intricate way she tortured him?

This was supposed to be serious! There - _she did it again_, this time reaching up with one gloved hand and running her fingers through her hair, her eyes on his from the corner of her gaze. That was playing dirty; she _knew _how much he loved threading his fingers through her hair while they made love.

He shifted again, well aware that his body was reacting in very inappropriate ways. He glared at her again, and her smile grew catlike, which sent another stab of heat into his belly.

Someone was saying something, something important, and he listened with half an ear, answering in a distracted tone as best as he could. Suki answered as well, sounding far more collected than he, but their eyes never left each other, the air between them hot and practically sparking.

When the meeting was over, Suki stayed where she was. Zuko _couldn't _move, at least not until the room was empty. She turned her head to look at him, her eyes bright and her red-painted lips spread wide in a sultry grin. When the door closed and they were alone, he was the first to close the distance, claiming those lips as his.

By the first kiss, she was laughing, those laughs slowly turning to soft moans as he reached for her beneath her robes.

Now, it was his turn to tease.


	6. Teach Them To Fly

_Writer's Note: Written for The Flowergirl, the prompt being the title of this fic. Note that with the exception of Tenzin, the other two skybabies aren't really known, so I've used the two kids from my other collection Silver Sandwiches and Delicious Teas, only tweaking them both to be airbenders. You don't have to read that series in order to enjoy this fic, though._

**Teach Them To Fly**

Aang was trying very hard not to be disappointed, but it was sort of hard. After all, his children were the only future that airbending and the Air Nomads had. The future of an entire people rested on their narrow little shoulders, so he hesitantly admitted that he really had expected more. After all, by the time he was twelve, he was already a master, having mastered all of the forms of airbending in addition to inventing his own.

_But..._

Only Tenzin was showing signs of actually _getting_ it, and he was the youngest. His other two children were both looking frustrated and mutinous, despite showing signs of being airbenders.

"Dad," Tyana snapped, the oldest who, at eleven, had once fallen off a cliff and merely _floated_, was now, at fourteen, having trouble with the air scooter. "This is _not working_."

Quan, who had shown early signs of being a waterbender without actually bending it, agreed with his sister, his bottom lip stuck out in a pout. In the summer, on a hot day last year, he had once summoned up a small whirlwind that enveloped him and cooled him off, but now he too was having trouble.

Tenzin, however, was scratching his head, looking even smaller now that his head was bald. He had demanded it a few weeks ago, out of nowhere, claiming that if was going to be an airbender, then he had better look the part. "I dunno," he said softly, "I think it could work." This earned twin glares from his siblings, which he bore as best he could.

Katara sighed deeply from behind Aang, expressing the very sentiment that he felt. "Aang, I think maybe you should give it a rest for today."

He privately agreed, but he felt that if he admitted it, then maybe they would think that he was giving up on him, which was the last thing he wanted.

"Just watch, okay? I'll do it very slowly," he said, and both Tyana and Quan groaned loudly and rolled their eyes. Tenzin scowled not at Aang, but at his siblings, before looking at his dad again with focussed eyes.

Aang went through the steps slowly, making sure that his moves were obvious and well-explained. Tyana and Quan, usually such focussed students, were both hot and cranky, and thus were no longer bothering to try. Tenzin, while both hot and cranky, was also eager to prove himself, and he went through the steps as if his life depended on it.

And finally, a small little sphere burst to life from his hands, much too small to ride - but that didn't stop Tenzin from trying. He tried to jump onto it, only to fall flat on his backside with a gasp, before he burst into laughter.

Aang did, too, without really thinking about, instantly delighted. "There, see?" he demanded of Katara, who looked surprised but happy. "It can be done!" He turned to his two older children. "If the youngest of you three can do it, then you _all_ can do it! Now start again!"

Katara sighed, as Aang started again. She knew he wouldn't give up until all three of their babies were soaring through the air.


	7. Special Tea

_Writer's Note: Hello, everyone! Look, an update! Sorry for so long a silence; I won't bore you with details but I do hope that silence is finally gone. Thanks for sticking by me, and I hope I don't disappoint!_

_This story is brought to you by a holiday post I'm working on. It's a request for Lavanya Six, who wanted Katara and Suki to discuss the finer points of some mysterious herbs. _

**Warning: Takes place between "The Southern Raiders" and "The Ember Island Players" and contains spoilers!**

**Special Tea**

It wasn't as embarrassing as Suki had thought, asking about which ingredients she needed for the best results. The woman behind the counter was incredibly friendly, and it was only a couple of times that Suki found herself teased, and it was in good fun.

It was only when she was close to the house that she realised that she had no idea how to make the tea.

She considered turning back, but the sun was almost down, and by now the stores would be closing up or switching staff. And besides, if she went back now, she would miss dinner. But...she also really needed to know how to make the tea, if she wanted to get close to Sokka again, now that they finally had a proper place to sleep.

Dinner.

As the smell of something hot and delicious hit her nostrils, hunger mixed with a sense of stomach curling dread hit her stomach. She had an idea - a long shot of an idea - but it was her only chance.

The meal was eaten amidst a mix of chatter and teasing, the voices of her friends risen in excitement and anticipation of what would happen in a few days. Suki tried to join in, but she was distracted, trying to come up with a way to ask Katara for help.

It wasn't the fact that Katara wouldn't want to help her; Suki was confident that she probably would want to help. It was just the fact that it was obvious that Suki and Sokka were together, now, so if Suki asked, well...she would be essentially asking Katara to help Suki have sex with her brother.

Her cheeks burned just thinking about it.

A small poke in her ribs brought her back to the present, and she turned, finding Sokka leaning in close to her with a grin. "Welcome back from the land of thoughts," he teased. "Are you even hungry?"

Suki suddenly realised that she wasn't, and that she had barely touched her food. She forced a smile back at him. "Why? Are you still hungry?"

He looked to the side. "Perhaps."

She handed him the bowl with a laugh, the laugh real, and he took it greedily. From the corner of her eye, she saw Katara get up and walk back towards the kitchen. Suki got to her feet and quickly followed, grabbing Sokka's empty dish as an excuse.

"Hey Suki," Katara said warmly, looking over her shoulder and smiling as she stacked some of the dishes.

"Hi," she replied, placing Sokka's dish on the pile. "Um, can I talk to you for a second?"

Katara turned around, still smiling. "Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Er." Suki's brain seemed to short-circuit all of a sudden. _Try to ease into the topic. Ask around it, and then bring it up. Maybe be theoretical at first? 'It's for a friend of a friend?'_

"I need your help," she said slowly, "with a tea."

Katara blinked. "With tea? I'm okay when it comes to tea - unless compared with Zuko. In that case, I'm the best."

Suki wanted to laugh, but instead she just broke into a sweat that she hoped was unnoticeable. "D-Do you know how to make..." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pouch, shoving it forward and into Katara's chest. "This tea?"

Katara blinked wide eyes, then grabbed the bag and opened it, smelling the contents before reaching in to look at the leaves. It was then that her eyes widened even more, something that Suki was unaware could happen. Her cheeks burned.

"Uh," Katara said slowly, her eyes still fixed on the pouch in her hands. "Yeah. I sometimes made this tea at home. I know how to make it. Would you like me to make a batch, or just tell you?"

Suki could see the flush rise from Katara's neck and up to her cheeks, as if her body knew what the tea was for but her mind refused to acknowledge it.

"You can just tell me, if it's a easier," Suki replied, trying to be gentle.

"Yeah, easier," Katara answered, still in that slow voice. Her head snapped up suddenly, her eyes blazing. "So, you're sleeping with my brother?"

"Er," Suki stammered, her hand going to her ponytail. "A little."

"Since when?"

"Since...a few days ago. Before we got here. You were...kind of busy."

Something in Katara's eyes seemed to click, and Suki knew that she had figured out which day it happened. A few strands of hair fell out from her ponytail, thanks to her tugging and fussing, but she couldn't stop.

"And you waited until _now_ to get these herbs? Are you insane?"

Suki blinked, her hand freezing. "Well, it was just spur of the moment, and we got so caught up, so..."

"That's kind of stupid, don't you think?" Katara crossed her arms over her chest, looking irritated. "First of all, we're in the middle of something major, here. You getting pregnant would sort of ruin our plans."

Suki pulled her hand away from her hair to scratch at her cheek.

"Second of all, the idea of my brother reproducing is enough to make me lose sleep for a week. Thanks for that, by the way. So I'm going to make the tea, teach you to make it, and you will keep taking it. And _next time_, don't wait so long to ask me!"

"Well, you kind of have to understand how awkward this is for me!" Suki protested, watching as Katara moved about the kitchen, looking for a teapot and a spare pan to heat the water. "I mean, he's your brother!"

"Yeah, obviously," was the answer. "Which is why you should have come to see me sooner."

Now Suki was beyond confused as was full-on bemused. "Why would you want to hear about Sokka's sex life?"

Katara slammed the teapot onto the counter. "I don't want to know the details, obviously." She rolled her eyes at this. "But if you love Sokka, and you make him happy, then I want to help keep that going." Her face softened as she spoke. "Things are so hard right now as they are. If you guys can have some happiness, then that's enough for me."

Suki stared at her, touched deeply. "I do love him," she admitted.

"Then that's enough for me," Katara repeated. "But really, I really don't need the details." She narrowed her eyes. "_Ever._"

Suki smiled. "Right. No details."


	8. Artificial and Official

_Writer's Note: This one's for Fearless Firefly. I do love postwar Maiko. _

**Warning: Takes place post-series and contains spoilers.  
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**Artificial and Official  
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Mai was unique in the regard that she had been brought up in a political life: everything she said, did, and may do was a reflection of her father's place in the elaborate and poisoned web of the Fire Nation's aristocracy. Thus, when it came to the boring banquets that were a necessary evil in this new peaceful world, she knew how to put on the perfect mask of interest and tirelessness.

Zuko, despite having a similar childhood, was also given far more freedom from his mother. She had allowed him to run free and say and do whatever he pleased, politics be damned. That had changed once she had vanished, but sometimes (and Zuko, as he thought this, felt a slight twinge in his left eye) he was unable to keep his mouth shut, inevitably causing scandal of some sort.

This hadn't changed over the years, despite his being Firelord. However, with Mai's sharp words and desperate pleadings, he was able to put on a similar mask of relaxed interest, despite the fact that inside, he was bored, irritated, and desperate to get some fresh air.

Mai wasn't stupid; she knew what his hunched over stance meant, no matter what mask he wore. Her eyes slid over to his, and when their eyes met, she curled her cool fingers over his hot ones. With a slow blink, she silently seemed to be saying: _Give it a few more minutes, and then we can make our escape._

Just a little, Zuko's shoulders drew down, and he squeezed her hand. Together, they turned their eyes back to what was before them: a small group of young Water Tribe women, singing their eerily beautiful throat songs. Zuko had to admit that he didn't mind this aspect of the banquets, and had long come to peace with the fact that all of the nations were beautiful in their own ways. It was what made him so proud to be a leader in this peace.

When they finished and bowed, the couple's applause was genuine. When the girls had left the platform and resumed sitting, before anything else could continue, Mai rose from her seat and held up her hands. Silence fell over the room, all eyes on her. With a voice loud enough to be heard by all, she said, "Thank you, everyone, for your company. The Firelord and I regret that we must prematurely end this banquet. Unfortunately, our Firelord is still fatigued by his recent travels, and needs to rest."

The speech was perfect, but was ruined when she added, her eyes perfectly blank save her glittering eyes: "And we all know that our Lord needs his beauty sleep."

Laughter - polite or real - rippled through the room. With burning cheeks, Zuko rose to his feet and said, rather tightly, "I think we can all agree that I've gotten as pretty as I can get."

That just made them chuckle more, and for some reason, this calmed him down a bit more. He blinked, then smiled faintly. Mai touched his shoulder and smiled back. Together, they clasped hands and bowed, a small bow that was just low enough for respect, but high enough to let everyone know that they were well aware of their status. Then, they calmly filed out of the room, as slowly as etiquette demanded.

However, once they were free, they broke into a run, hands clasped, hearts racing in excitement. Mai led the way, but Zuko trusted that she knew where she was going, and let himself be led, a real smile breaking upon his face. She looked back, once, and grinned, a grin that set his heart ablaze.

The hallways blurred as they ran, acting like childish teenagers and ignoring anyone and everyone who happened to see them dash by, blurs of their own.

When they reached the garden of their youth, their laughter burst out in earnest now, the laughter of pure happiness and relief. Mai turned around and crashed into him, a rare but cherished display of eager affection that she gifted him with. Her arms went around his waist, and he held her tightly.

For a moment they just stood their in their embrace. The chill air cooled their skins, the half-moon's modest light casting a modest spotlight upon them.

Mai broke the silence, her voice muffled by his shoulder. "Sometimes I feel like you're the only thing that's real anymore."

Zuko had long grown used to the fact that a lot of the time, Mai tended to echo his own thoughts. Still, it was always a pleasure to have confirmation that they were so connected, still. "No kidding," he murmured into her hair. "They mean well, but sometimes it just gets... so old."

Mai smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "We're getting old, too."

"Not so old that we're boring."

She looked up. "I don't think you'll ever be boring, and that's saying much."

He grinned in such a way that made her heart flutter. "Really? You're right, that is saying a lot."

Impulsively, she kissed him. To her delight, he kissed her back. In that way, they remained enclosed in their own little world, losing track of time and anything else.


End file.
